150 hospitalised after drinking polluted water

Khadavli: Around 150 people, including children, from Khadavli village in the district were admitted to various hospitals after they reportedly drank contaminated water from a river.

While around 40 villagers were reportedly admitted yesterday, over 100 people were hospitalised today following symptoms of gastroenteritis.

When contacted, Murbad MLA Kisan Kathore confirmed the number of cases of gastroenteritis, however, the District Health Officer cannot be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Prima facie, the river water became polluted after some chemicals were reportedly released in the river to kill fish, Kathore said, adding the condition of those hospitalised is stable.

An unprotected water source refers to streams, rivers, cisterns, and poorly constructed wells, or any well that is not a drilled well and does not have a watertight casing that extends to a depth of at least six meters below ground level. The safety of well water may also be influenced by the original water quality in the watershed or catchment.

The health effects of drinking contaminated water can range from no physical impact to severe illness or even death. Some of the effects of drinking contaminated water can be immediate, or not noticed for many years. These include gastrointestinal and stomach illnesses like:
nausea
vomiting
cramps
diarrhoea